Review: Spark by Brigid Kemmerer

If you read my review of Brigid Kemmerer's book Storm, you know how much I absolutely ADORED it. My review honestly doesn't do it justice, seriously. If you haven't read it yet, GO READ IT NOW.


Anyway, I was so super excited to get the sequel, Spark from NetGalley!

 Spark by Brigid Kemmerer

Releases August 28, 2012

Source of my copy: NetGalley

Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally.

Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can’t. Like the fire that killed his parents.

Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he’s not doing it.

More than Gabriel’s pride is at stake -- this could cost him his family, maybe his life. And no one seems to hear him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Layne understands family problems, and she understands secrets. She has a few of her own.

Gabriel can’t let her guess about his brothers, about his abilities, about the danger that’s right at his heels. But there are some risks he can’t help taking.

The fuse is lit…

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Brigid Kemmerer has definitely done it again! Spark is an awesome sequel to an awesome debut!! Storm featured Chris (my favorite of the Merricks ;D) front-and-center, but in Spark, we get to know his big brother Gabriel. 

Before we get going here, let me make something very clear. Gabriel is a butthead. Simple as that. There were points in Spark (and even in Storm) when I wanted to reach into the book and slap him, or kick him, or inflict SOME sort of physical violence on him. But at the same time, I feel bad for him and understand that he is a good guy--when he stops pushing that side of him back. He just doesn't play well with others. 

Fire is hard to control, and so is Gabriel's temper. It's hard to be connected to an element so destructive and so impossible to contain. And that's one of the reasons I sympathize with and love Gabriel in spite of his (previously mentioned) buttheadish tendencies. Gabriel is hard on himself. He sees himself as the family screw-up. He bottles everything up, and when it explodes, it explodes BIG, making him look like a huge jerk. 

But getting inside his head was a very cool experience, and I definitely understand and love him even more than I did in Storm!

Then there's Layne. I looooved Layne. She might not have the same supernatural issues Gabriel's dealing with, but her life isn't all sunshine and daisies. With a father who ignores her, a mother she never felt good enough for, and a handicapped brother whose care falls upon her, plus her (rather lacking) fashion sense, she isn't the type of girl Gabriel would usually look twice at.

Yet somehow, she suddenly is. 

All of our favorite characters from Storm are back, as well, though maybe not as present in the story as I'd hoped. Either way, we still get to see more of Becca, Quinn, the Merrick brothers, and even Hunter. And don't forget the action--There's plenty of action, mysteries, and danger, so never fear on that count!!

All together, Spark more than deserves <*><*><*><*><*>

(:D)

~Mag